HEAT Produced Classics: Miami 89, LA Clippers 88 on December 14, 1988

Billy Thompson and Rory Sparrow powered the Miami Heat to the first win in franchise history.

To help Heat fans get through the NBA lockout, Sun Sports started broadcasting the most memorable games in team history. The HEAT classics series began Tuesday with a broadcast of the first win in team history.

The Miami Heat Index will follow-up each broadcast with the estimated wins produced by each player in the game.

Win Score and Estimated Wins Produced, statistical models created by Professor David Berri from the Wages of Wins Journal, to measure how much a player's box score statistics contributed to their team's efficiency differential and wins. An average player produces an estimated 0.100 wins per 48 minutes (Est.WP48), a star player produces +0.200 Est.WP48 and a superstar produces +0.300 Est.WP48. More information on these stats can be found at the following links:

Simple Models of Player Performance
Wins Produced vs. Win Score
What Wins Produced Says and What It Does Not Say
Introducing PAWSmin — and a Defense of Box Score Statistics

This spreadsheet lists the estimated wins produced stats for the Heat’s 89-88 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles.

HEAT Notes

• Thompson was the most productive Heat player with 0.421 est.WP48 and 0.3 estimated wins produced from 15 points on eight shots with seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal with no fouls. Thompson ranks 14th in franchise history with 20.8 Career Wins Produced.
• Sparrow was the second-most productive Heat player with 0.280 est.WP48 and 0.2 estimated wins produced from four points on nine shots with four rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two turnovers. Sparrow ranks 100th in franchise history with 0.1 Career Wins Produced.
• Kevin Edwards was the least productive Heat player with -0.115 est.WP48 and -0.1 estimated wins produced from just 12 points on 17 shots with only two rebounds and three turnovers. Edwards ranks 37th in team history with 7.4 Career Wins Produced.
• Nearly two-thirds of the win produced by the Heat came off the bench with Thompson leading the way. Jon Sundvold (0.184 est.WP48) and Clinton Wheeler (0.213 est.WP48) provided productive minutes off the bench in the backcourt.
• Sundvold is the least productive player in Heat history with -5.1 Career Wins Produced.

Clippers Notes

• Benoit Benjamin was the most productive Clipper with 0.317 est.WP48 and 0.2 estimated wins produced from 12 points on five shots with nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
• Danny Manning was the second-most productive Clipper with 0.203 est.WP48 and 0.2 estimated wins produced from 23 points on 14 shots with six rebounds, five assists, two steals, four turnovers and three fouls.
• Reggie Williams was the least-productive Clipper with -1.156 est.WP48 and -0.2 estimated wins produced from zero points on three shots with two turnovers.
• The Clipper starters outplayed the Heat, led by Manning and the infamous Quintin Dailey (0.217 est.WP48) - may he rest in peace.

Original data taken from basketball-reference.com.